This invention relates to information distribution in general and more particularly to a method of distributing educational material over a wide area, hereinafter referred to as the Education Utility.
Present methods of distributing educational material whether it be in the form of books, films, video tapes, computer programs or other types of material are relatively expensive and inefficient. Very often, material, particularly in the case of textbooks, for example, may be out of date before it reaches the classroom.
There has been a great deal of emphasis on the use of computers in the educational process in recent years. There are a number of aspects to the use of computers in education. One aspect is the use of computers to aid in the educational process through the use of educational software. A second use of computers is in the familiarization of students with the use of computers and utility-type computer programs, for example, the use of financial spread sheet programs, word processing, text editing, etc. which they may have to use later on in their careers in business. This is sometimes referred to as computer literacy. Finally, there is the training, which is given in some instances, in programming of computers to teach the students how to write and develop their own programs.
For the most part, computer use in schools has been through microcomputers. Each individual microcomputer requires, in addition to its own keyboard and display a storage device such as a tape or disc drive. If a computer is to be provided for each student in a classroom, this arrangement must be duplicated for each student. The disc drives, in particular add to the initial cost and to maintenance problems and costs. Furthermore, the use of these separate computers requires a great many duplicate copies of the programs which are to be used. This further increases the cost and in many cases leads to an unlawful copying of software also making it virtually impossible logistically to modify or update software or courseware once it is distributed. This removes some of the incentive for programmers to develop good software for use in computer-aided instruction.
This brings up another problem. It is presently very difficult for educators to evaluate the value of any given software package for use in computer-aided instruction. Very little data is available on the use and satisfaction of others.
Television has come into some use in the schools primarily through educational channels in which educational material is broadcast over the air to the various schools. Little has been done however to integrate this with other instructional material such as computer-aided instruction.
Thus, although technology has made available various tools which can aid in the educational process, these tools have not been efficiently used. The need to apply this available technology to the educational system, that is to say, the need for an educational utility which will distribute educational material to schools just as present public utilities distribute electricity, gas, water, telephone services and the like becomes evident. In such a system, the ability to provide up-to-date information should be available as well as the ability to account for the use of information so that the creators of the courseware be it in the form of film, video tape, software or whatever are properly compensated for their endeavors.